“Sound Barriers and Road Rage”
Sound barriers protect the homes along our roadways from excessive noise from the traffic. They do work on noise reduction but seem to contribute to road rage in the areas where noise suppressors are used.
Road rage has been around for many decades, so to blame he sound barriers completely is simply a falsehood. Driving in areas where the sound barriers are used it like driving through a cement tunnel with nothing to look at or distract you, such as scenery. People then concentrate on other drivers behavior and anger then ensues.
Most people who travel our highways have been the victim of someones rage during their driving lifetime.
My first frightening experience was when I was driving a small motor-bike to save on gasoline. A pleasant appearing , elderly lady, pulled alongside my bike, the edged her car closer and closer until she drove me up and over the curb. She did not stop to see if I was injured, nor did she use her horn. I was simply an inconvenience to her, so with a smile she forced me off the road.
I try to be a courteous driver and obey the laws of my state. If I drive under the speed limit, someone will inevitably pull up tight behind my vehicle (tailgate), honk their horn to try and intimidate me to going at a faster rate of speed.
If a driver does not shoot away from a stop light when it turns green, the person behind my vehicle tend to make obscene hand gestures, hong their horn, and some will even stick their head out of the window and yell obscenities at me.
Road rage does seem to be on the rise as our day-to-day lives become increasingly busy and driving has become a chore. The niceties of courteous and tolerant behavior to others has become outdated and a thing of the past.
I have an older sister who is a very proper matron until she gets behind the wheel of her older Ford Escort. When my sister drives down the road she goes from being mild mannered and polite to this red-faced screaming harridan. Her personality changes completely. She will keep a running commentary on other drivers lack of driving skill, why they stopped when they did, etc. My sister feels it’s her duty to yell our her car window and inform the unwitting driver, exactly what see thinks them and their driving errors.
I feel my sisters road rage is not related to sound barriers but to a drivers impatience to other people, whether pedestrian or in an automobile.
I feel a lengthy study is needed by the government as to the causes and effects of road rage.
What are the motivating factors for the person in the rage and the person receiving the brunt of that rate directed at them? I feel the problem must be investigated as the rates of rage on the highways is on the rise.
What turns kind, gentle people int our of control divers? This problem need to be addressed or all of our safety on the roads. A Sunday drive for our family is now a thing of the past as it is no longer enjoyable. Who can look at the scenery with sound barriers in the way and drivers honking their horn, waving their hands and hollering out their windows at us. Now we simply stay at home and turn on the Travel Channel where it is less exciting but a lot safer than our highways have become.
